Oryctoantiquus
Appearance
Oryctoantiquus | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Coleoptera |
Infraorder: | Scarabaeiformia |
Superfamily: | Scarabaeoidea |
Family: | Scarabaeidae |
Subfamily: | Dynastinae |
Genus: | †Oryctoantiquus Ratcliffe and Smith (2005) |
Oryctoantiquus is a genus of middle Eocene beetles in the Dynastinae clade.
Oryctoantiquus is known for being the oldest known genus of Dynastinae and is also known for being the largest discovered Scarabaeidae so far. The genus only has one known species which is Oryctoantiquus borealis. The species and genus was found in Oregon, United States (specifically north-central Oregon) and dates from around 44.6 million years to 46.8 million years ago in the Clarno formation, middle Eocene epoch.[1]
References
- ^ Ratcliffe, Brett C.; Smith, Dena M.; Erwin, Diane (March 2005). "Oryctoantiquus borealis, New Genus and Species from the Eocene of Oregon, U.S.A., the World's Oldest Fossil Dynastine and Largest Fossil Scarabaeid (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae)". The Coleopterists Bulletin. 59 (1): 127–135. doi:10.1649/0010-065X(2005)059[0127:OBNGAS]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0010-065X.